Friday’s six race card at Jebel Ali is headlined by the third race, a Jebel Ali Stakes prep carrying a 120,000AED purse and drawing a relatively competitive and well-balanced field of 14. I am most interested in #11 Black Eagle who makes the fifth start of his career and the first in Dubai for trainer Abdulla bin Huzaim. He has two wins and a second from his limited action and this son of Cape Cross seems well-pointed here, having won over the all-weather surface at Lingfield after breaking his maiden on turf at Nottingham.
The win at Lingfield, over 2000 meters, was over older rivals and he defeated Carnival alum Bound By Honour in a strong effort for a young horse. Jockey Ted Durcan sported the royal Godolphin blue on that day and was wide throughout the event, especially on the corner for home. Bound By Honour franked the form when he won back in another class two handicap at Lingfield, 14 days after his defeat to Black Eagle. This is a fast improving colt who races locally for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Whether or not he takes to the natural dirt at Jebel Ali, I suspect we’ll be hearing more from Black Eagle.
Carnival winner #3 Dynamic Saint is amongst the field on Friday, making his second start of the season for Doug Watson. The son of Sweetsouthernsaint pulled off one of the more incredible efforts of the 2009 Carnival when appearing hopelessly beaten turning for home, fading in mid-pack. Yet, jockey Ryan Moore picked up the rains and Dynamic Saint kicked on in an incredible reversal. He comes on for the run and should run with better precision than he did when fifth at Jebel Ali on 20 November.
Trainer Mubarak bin Shafya sends his third starter of the season in #1 Muy Ponderado, a South American native who failed to do much running in two spring starts. Both Gladiatorus and Eastern Anthem provided bin Shafya with back-to-back $5 million race wins on Dubai World Cup night.
Friday’s fifth race at Jebel Ali, a handicap over 1,600 meters, offers a handful of Carnival familiars, including Roman’s Run, a winner over 1,700 meters on 6 February and Kal Barg, second to Alexandros (who was later third in the Dubai Duty Free – G1), on 22 January. Naseehah, another Godolphin runner now sporting the colors of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, part of a four horse entry, is a 3-year-old colt with a win and a second from two lifetime starts. He looks to improve off a rating of 88 for bin Huzaim in yet another well-matched field.
Click HERE for Friday’s advance form guide.
The racing at Jebel Ali is getting more competitive as we get closer to the 2010 Dubai International Racing Carnival and the racing unveiling of Meydan. Don’t forget to register to receive the DubaiRaceNight.com Newsletter by entering your name and e-mail address in the box in the right toolbar. You will have first access to the exclusive “Dubai Racing Comprehensive” when it is released in January.